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Filed April 2B. 1924 I' aay Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE..

JAMES LEONADS RESPESS AND ARTHUR MAZYCK, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

TAG.

Application filed April 28, 1924. Serial No. 709,607.

This invention relates to tags and more particularly to tags for use on cotton bales and like articles where it is desirable to keep a record of the various facts concerning a bale from the time of its arrival., to

the time of its departure, from any particular place.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tag of the class described which will be provided with a number of separable parts in order that records may be kept on these parts as desired.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tag having two ends, each of which may be attached to a bale, with a line of perfor-ations between the tw-o parts.

It is still another object of this invention to provide in a tag of the type described a portion to be initially attached to a bale, a portion to be finally attached to a bale to indicate the completion of a sequence of operations, and a plurality of detachable coupons adapted to contain the record of the vari-ous operations in said sequence.

In the handling of cotton and similar articles in bales and packages, it is desirable that each individual bale shall be so marked by the receiver that it can be readily identified and the shipper receive propel. credit therefor. It is further desirable that after the bale has been tagged, weighed, sampled and compressed that an additional tag be attached showing the result of these various operations and indicating at a glance that they have been completed. It is also desirable that. vari-ous records be kept, in separate oflices, of these several operations. ln order to obtain the above desired purposes, this invention contemplates the provision of a double ended tag, each enel being provided with means for fastening it to a bale, and a series of detachable coupons defined by lines of perfor-ations arranged between the two ends of the tag.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure `1 is a plan view of the face of a tag constructed according to this invention, and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the reverse side of such a tag.

The tag comprises an elongated strip of suitable material, such as cardboard, provided at either end thereof with an eyelet 11 which may be, if desired, supported by reinforcing washers 12, as is well known in the tagart. A tie wire 13, or other suitable fastening means, is passed through each eyelet in order that either end of the tag may be attached to a bale. The strip 10is divided into six detachable portions by lines of perforations 141, 15, 16, 17 and 18 so that the two end portions 19 and 20 may constitute individual tags when separated from the four coupons 21, 22, 23 and 2a contained between the inner ends of the tag portions 19 and 20.

Each portion of the strip contains an identifying index or number, such as 25, on the face thereof in a prominent position, and the two tag portions V19 and 20 have 70 these numbers duplicated on the back thereof. Each of the tags may have printed thereon the same of a consignee or any desired information, and may also include the shippers name if desired, and in addition to this, tag 19 contains` nothing aside from the index number printed on both sides. rlag 20, however, has printed across the face and back thereof a broad stripe of any suitable color, for instance, blue, as shown at 26 30 in order that it may be readily recognized and differentiated from tag 19 when the two are separated from the coupons. This tag contains further a space designated Flag number, in which space is adapted to be S5 placed a mark to indicate the quality of the material in the bale after it has been eX- amined.

The two small coupons 21 and 22 each have printed thereon the legend Cotton sample coupon and contain nothing in addition, except the index number 25.

The coupon 23 is divided into three spaces, that in the upper left hand corner having printed therein the index number 25: that 95 just below it having the legend lVeight and adapted to have marked therein the weight ofthe bale after it has been determined by the consignee and the larger space on the right hand side of the coupon containing the legend Flag number and adapted for the same purpose as the similar space on the tag 20. rlhis coupon contains at the upper edge the legend Lot sheet couon. p Coupon 24 is substantially identical with coupon 23, but contains at the top the legend Compress lot sheet coupon.

The tags constructed according to the above disclosure are used as follows by 110 a cooperative cotton growers association:

When the cotton bales in their loosely Cil compressed state are received from the railroad by the association, each bale receives a such as shown in the drawing, the tags being printed in numerical series. The tag is attached to the bale by the `iiastening means in the small tag l5) after which the bale is weighed and the we` jht thereof inserted in the two spa es provided on coupons and 24:.

The neigt operation is the sampling of the cotton inthe baie. The bale is opened and a portion of the cotton removed as a sample. The main portion of the tag includin` all the coupons and the small tag 20 are detached at the perforation leand taken with the sample to the grading' room, leaving only the small tag 19 on the bale. ln the grading room the cotton is inspected and given a pool number which designates the grade and staple of the cotton. This pool number is inserted in the spaces headed Flag number on the coupons 28 and 24 and the small tag 2O and the two `cotton sample coupons 2l and 22 are detached and remain with the sample in order to identify it, by means of the index number, with the original bale.

In the meanwhile the bale has gone to the compress where it is further compressed to the small compact bale suitable for storage or shipping by rail or water. l/Vhen the pool numbers are stamped on the two coupons and the small tag 20, Lot sheet coupon 23 is detached by the clerk marking the numbers and is i'ile-d at the otiice. Coupon 24 and tag 20 are then immediately attached to the same bale from which they were originally7 taken and the blue stripe or bar indicates to the compress or warehouse man that the particular bale so marked is ready to be put in the warehouse or to be. sold.

In case it is desired to ship this particular bale of cotton prior to the time it is .put in the warehouse, the shipping clerk makes a record thereof and as the bale goes into the car the Compress lot sheet coupon is detached s that the shipping` clerks record and the oliice record of the compress can be compared to prevent any error. The compress in such cases have shipped the cotton bale before they have issued a warehouse receipt therefor so they immediately prepare such a vreceipt for that particular bale and forward it tothe oflice. Howe-ver if the cotton is not shipped immediately but is put in storage in the warehouse, it is segregated in 100 bale lots all of the same quality and as it is Aput in the Warehouse the Compress lot sheet coupons are 'detached and when 100 such Acoupons are accumulated, a Warehouse receipt is issued forthe bales of cotton represented thereby and this receipt may bek used for collateral purposes if desired.

The various coupons attached and the reo ords kept therewith and therefrom may be compared and checked by certain well known bookkeeping' methods and it isrnot necessary for the purpose of this specilicaytion to further explain their use but it will be apparent that a highly desirable form of tag for the keeping of records is contemplated by this invention and while but one modilication has been disclosed, it is desired that the invention shall only be limited by the scope of the attached claims.

Having thus described our invention what we lclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising an elongated strip of material, means at each end of said strip whereby it nay be fastened to a container, a line of ijferforations ldividing said strip into two tags, corresponding' identifying indicia on each tag, and Va colored identifying stripe on one of said tags.

2. A device of the character described, comprising an elongated strip of material, "neans at each end of said strip whereby it in ay be. fastened to a container, a line of perforations dividing said strip into two tags, corresponding identifying indicia on each tag, a colored identifying stripe on one of said tags, and an appropriately designed space on said last rmentioned tag to receive a quality mark.

3. An identification and record device for cotton bales comprising an elongated strip of material, an eyelet at each end thereof, a fastening means in each eyelet, lines of perforations dening a tag at each end of said strip and a coupon between the inner ends of said tags.

et. An identification and record device for cotton bales Acomprising an elongated strip of material, an eyelet at each end thereof, a fastening' means in each eyelet, lines of perforations defining a tag at each end of said strip, and lines of perforations defining coupons between the inner ends of said tags.

5. An identification and record device for cotton bales comprising an elongated strip of material, an eyelet at each end thereof, a

fastening means in each eyelet, lines of perforations defining a tag at each end of said strip, and lines of perforations delining coupons between the inner ends of said tags, and corresponding identifying indicia on the tags and coupons.

6. An identification and record device for cotton bales comprising an elongated strip of material, an eyelet at eachend thereof, a 'fastening means in each eyelet, lines of perforation defining a tag at each end of said strip, lines of perforations defining coupons 'between the inner ends of said tags, corre-y sponding identifying indicia on the tags and coupons, a designated space on one of 'ill said coupons to receive the Weight of the bale, and designated spaces on a coupon and a tag to receive a quality mark.

7. An identification and record device for cotton bales comprising an elongated strip of material, an eyelet in each end thereof, afastening means in each eyelet, lines of perforations defining a detachable tag at each end of said strip, lines of perforations delining detachable coupons between said tags,

corresponding identifying indicia printed on each tag and coupon, a colored stripe on one of said tags, a designated space on said striped tag and on two of said coupons to receive a quality mark, and designated spaces on two of said coupons to receive the Weight of thev bale to which the tags are attached.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

JAMES LEONADUS RESPESS. ARTHUR MAZYCK. 

